


If You Had This Chance

by Cver



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Bond or die, M/M, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29199765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cver/pseuds/Cver
Summary: Dan just wants to get a contact from Lucifer and be on his way. He didn't expect a simple trip to the penthouse to complicate his life.
Relationships: Dan Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar, Dan Espinoza/Lucifer Morningstar
Comments: 48
Kudos: 112





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've never seen the show. This is the result of reading too many Douchifer fics and then running out of fics to read.

Dan didn't exactly hate Lucifer's penthouse. He'd just rather avoid the apartment, the club within the building and its owner whenever he could. While he doesn't hate Lucifer anymore, the alpha is still not his favorite person to be around and he'd rather not inflict the self proclaimed devil on himself unless he absolutely had it.

Which was why he was in Lucifer's penthouse. Because the lieutenant had made him the one to get Lucifer's contact for the current case instead of Chloe, you know, Lucifer's usual partner.

Dan swore to himself to keep from hitting something. He was annoyed and exhausted. He needed this case done and over with yesterday, so he can get some sleep. He was certainly not in the mood to deal with Lucifer's luciferness.

The penthouse looked empty at first glance. A quick search and he found the man of the moment. Except, nothing about the state he was in made sense.

Dan tripped on thin air in an attempt to catch himself when he found the alpha. The man was on his large bed, drenched in sweat and writhing in obvious pain. There was no sign of bleeding or blood anywhere that Dan could see.

Dan had never seen Lucifer hurt, he had never seen him so vulnerable. They weren't close enough and he knew the alpha wouldn't have picked Dan to witness this moment of he had a choice.

His first instinct is to turn on his heels and run. Alphas can be feral when hurt and vulnerable. The glazed look in Lucifer's unseeing eyes could only be proving that. Add in their antagonistic relationship and Dan's omega status, this was not a safe place for any omega, let alone Dan. Dan knows himself. There's a reason he's avoided having anything to do with alphas his entire life. Lucifer's haywire instincts might decide Dan needs to be put in his place.

He took another look at the figure on the bed. The alpha's condition looked serious. He needs to call someone to come deal with this. He went out to the balcony to make the call and breath in some fresh air, untainted by pheromones. 

His first call was to Chloe. It went straight to voicemail. Dan cursed. He knew Lucifer had a brother, but without Chloe to give him his contact, he didn't know how to reach him.

When he returned to check on the man, he was barely moving or breathing. He'd gone unnaturally still, a far cry from how he was a moment ago. Dread pulled in Dan's gut.

Later, when asked, Dan couldn't say why he chose to do it. Except that he couldn't let the man died. This annoying, irritating alpha of a person who loved to make his life hell. Dan's life would be much less complicated without him in it, but Dan would never be able to look his daughter and ex wife in the eyes and tell them that he let the man die. The same man who had risked his life to save them many times.

He'll say that's why he did it. It's why he went against everything he was and did the one thing he swore he'd never do.

"Hey, man," Dan said tentatively. He took off his jacket as he came closer to the shirtless man. 

Lucifer didn't respond besides a groan.

"You're going to be fine, okay? I'm going to help you." Dan took off his shirt, showing off his neck in submission. "I don't know what happened to you, but please don't rip my neck off with your teeth."

Everyone knew bonded couples could share in each other's pain and help accelerate each other's healing. Of course, it was also another way for alphas to control their omegas. 

Dan had never been bonded. Going out of his way to date only betas and even marrying one ensured that, since betas couldn't form bonds.

But with Lucifer at death's door, a partial bond might help live long enough to get him to a hospital. Since he has no plan of letting the alpha mark him in return, the bond would only be temporary. It should heal after a few days, or weeks.

With that, he climbed on the bed, his neck bared in submission and found Lucifer's bond gland. It looked weird. He'd never seen one up close but he's not sure it looked right.

Still, he shook of thought and let his fangs descend before biting down hard enough to feel the rush of blood and pheromones entering his mouth.

The effects is immediate. 

Lucifer groaned beneath him, eyes snapping open to watch as Dan pulled back.

"Sorry about that," Dan says awkwardly, now that he realized that he's straddling the alpha. 

Lucifer continued to stare at him as he shifts onto the other side of the bed. He feels light headed and exhausted already. There's no telling how Lucifer feels. The man hasn't said anything. 

"I didn't know what else to do." Dan continued. "We need to get you to a hospital. Do you know what happened to you?"

He attempted to rise from the bed, but the moment his feet touch the ground, the room tilts. He would have braned his head if not for Lucifer's strong grip.

"No hospitals. They can't help." Lucifer says in his deep voice. "Lay down before you break something."

He pulled Dan down on the bed beside him. Dan wanted to protest but the world goes dark immediately. Whatever Lucifer had to say was lost in the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an omega verse au, in which bonded couples can help each other heal from trauma and injury. Sometimes, temporary bonds are created between friends and platonic partners to help each other out during times of serious trauma. If a bond isn't completed/is one sided, it fades out after a few days. That's what Dan does to Lucifer. 
> 
> Questions, theories and comments are welcome. Either here or [My Tumblr](http://cver.tumblr.com). I'm always happy to talk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd

Dan woke up very slowly. Almost like his body was reluctant to rouse from his slumber. The way too comfortable bed didn't make it easy, for sure. He shifted, pressing his nose deeper into the pillow to inhale more of the amazing smell. But then the body behind him move and every trace of sleep disappeared. It had been a while since Dan went had another person in his bed.

He sat up immediately, turning as he went, only be confronted with Lucifer, wide awake and watching him. That's when his previous actions come crashing down on him.

Finding Lucifer hurt and in agony, barely breathing in his bed. Marking Lucifer. Creating a partial bond with Lucifer.

Oh God! Dan has done the one thing he swore he would never do.

Either oblivious to Dan's internal crises, or simply uncaring, Lucifer rose from the bed, movement graceful in a manner Dan couldn't hope to achieve.

"Oh, good," The alpha chirps. A far cry from his state when Dan had walked in earlier. "I made brunch."

"Wha--?" He asks, startled. "Brunch? How long have I been out?"

"About thirty eight hours." Lucifer answers, "The detective mentioned you might be hungry when you woke up, and questioning you on an empty stomach may not be wise. You did just save my life after all."

"Huh?" He's dressed in a pair of sweatpants that he's pretty sure he wasn't wearing when he arrived at the penthouse. 

Lucifer gave him an appraising look. "You're slower on the uptake than usual." He observed. "Do you need more sleep?"

Dan rolled his eyes at the insult. Good to know he's still the same Lucifer that Dan knows. The bond hasn't suddenly created a change in personality.

"Have I really been out for almost two days?" Dan asked, following Lucifer out of the room, towards the kitchen where the meal is setup. "What the fuck happened to you that took so much of my energy to heal you?"

"I realized when the pattern of your breathing changed that you would be waking up soon, so I prepared the meal." Lucifer explained, handing Dan a cup of coffee, which he was grateful for.

He dropped down on a seat. "Fuck! The lieutenant is going to skin me alive." Dan says. "I was supposed to get a contact from you and ended up being gone for two days! Fuck! I need to call my daughter." 

How is Trixie doing? He's been trying to be a better father. But basically dropping off the face of the earth without warning isn't going to do him any favors. He'll be lucky if he still had a job at when he returned to the precinct. It seems no matter what he does, karma is always looking for ways to make him pay for his past mistakes.

Suddenly, the storm of anxiety that had been steadily rising within him suddenly stopped, and wave a calm replaced it instead. It took a moment realize it wasn't him emotions. He gaze snapped to his brunch companion.

"Huh, I had no idea that was possible." Lucifer mused, then before Dan could object to his action, he issued a command, "Now eat, before you work yourself into a frenzy." 

The command settled heavily between them, the bond that Dan had instigated, forcing him to comply. 

He hated everything about this bond already.

Once he began eating, Lucifer continued. "I informed the detective and the lieutenant of what happened. They were very understanding, although the detective less so than the lieutenant. She was no pleased to know I had kept my being hurt from her."

Dan let the words wash over him. He's not going to lose his job. Thank God for small mercies." Thank you. Thought I'd lost my job for sure."

"It was the least I could do," Lucifer admits in a dismissive tone. "You did save my life after all."

"So, what exactly happened to you, man? You did not look good when I found you."

"And yet, I could wager I looked much better than you," He fires back. "What begs to question is why?"

"Why what?"

"Excusing the fact that bonding between a human and celestial has been considered impossible up until now, I'm curious about why you would do it for me. I imagined you would have jumped at a chance to be rid of me, and no one would hold you responsible this time."

Dan rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the celestial part. At this point, he had gotten quite good at tuning out Lucifer when he goes off about being the devil. Still, Lucifer isn't exactly wrong. There was a time Dan would have done anything to remove Lucifer from his life. 

"You're not my favorite person, just as I know I'm not yours. But if you died, it would crush Chloe and Trixie, and I love them more than I hate you."

Lucifer did not respond, instead, he observed Dan from across the table, like he suddenly discovered something new about him. There's no new layer to Dan though. Lucifer had been around long enough to see all there was to him.

When he was done observing or maybe he found what he was looking for, he continued. "For this, I am in your debt. If you ever need anything, I owe you a favour."

Dam scowled. "I don't need a favour from you."

"Not right now, maybe. But I'm sure you will need one in the future."

"I didn't help do it so you'd owe me."

"Oh, I'm aware. You've made that very clear." Lucifer grinned. "But that's how the devil operates."

"Are you going to tell me now what the fuck happened to you?" He asked again. "Or will you find something else to distract me?"

"It was a poison," He shrugged. "There was a plant at the establishment, where the detective and I went to question a witness. I pricked my thumb on it.

"How did it not occur to you that you should have called someone or go to the hospital?" 

"It looked inconsequential at the time. I barely felt anything and my system filters out toxins very quickly. I expected this time to be no different. It must have been a slow acting poison. I had not expected to be in so much pain when I woke up."

"And when it turned out to be very serious? 

"What would anyone have done? My siblings aren't known for their goodwill towards me to think they'd come to my aid had I called one of them. Not to mention, this poison must have been celestial in nature. Nothing man made could have had such fatal effects on me. That the bond could help me heal from it confirmed my suspicion. Angels are incapable of hurting mortals. Although, that opens another can of worms about how the bond formed. Angels lack the ability to form such bonds."

Daniel rolled his eyes. This talk of angels and demons have gotten really old. Lucifer needs to cut it out. 

He can admit though, that it must have been quite the poison if it took all of his strength to heal Lucifer. Dan has never heard of an incident where a bond demanded so much of the other person to heal the traumatized party. He supposes it's possible but it would be extremely rare.

He stared at where Lucifer's neck met his shoulder. The exact spot where Dan had marked him. It's out of sight, of course. Covered underneath the layer of shirt he decided to wear for once.

"The only thing going to your hospital would achieve would be having my DNA in the hands of humans. That would be disastrous."

Dan scoffed. "How so?" 

"Daniel," Lucifer tut. "You are not so daft that I need to spell out for you all the reasons why your human doctors do not need to get a sample of celestial DNA. You can barely handle the knowledge of my devilness. How do you think a total stranger would react with proof?"

At the mention of his devilness, Dan was suddenly done. 

"I can't." He announced. 

He was not equipped to deal with this right now. He pushed his chair back and stood up briskly. The sweatpants are a little too long and he almost tripped over them in his haste.

Lucifer stood with him, following him as he headed to the elevator. "Can't what?"

"I can't deal with any of this. I need to go see Chloe and Trixie." 

He looked around, but his clothes are nowhere in sight. Did Lucifer keep them somewhere or did he throw them out for being too cheap and ruining the theme or his penthouse? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. 

"Thanks for brunch and your help with... everything. I'll have your clothes washed and went back. The bond should be gone by the end of tomorrow. Try not to get poisoned in the meantime."

With that, he practically fled into the elevator. 

Lucifer remained silent the entire time.

Dan is so done, he needs this bond gone yesterday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr](http://Cver.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd

It's easy to slip back into his daily routine, after the rude and impromptu interruption. 

True to his words, Lucifer had informed Chloe and the lieutenant about the latest developments, and they'd taken it in stride. Bonding to heal trauma wasn't such a foreign concept. 

Sure, it was not encouraged anymore, due to accidental permanent bonding, which usually required a lot more effort to break. But there was no stigma around it. Besides, he and Lucifer were grown ups, and could resist the pull of instincts to complete the bonding. 

Not that anyone expected it to be hard, what with Lucifer's ongoing... thing with Chloe. 

For his efforts, Dan had gotten the next day off, which he was grateful for. One more day for the bond to fade out, and the chance to avoid Lucifer while it happened.

Except that was four days ago and the bond was still thriving, humming in his head, like someone had charged it with electricity. 

Dan had returned to work and everything was normal, but for the Lucifer sized hole in the precinct. No one had seen the self proclaimed devil since before the incident and Chloe had been sneaking furtive looks at Dan. He has an idea why and he is seconds away from snapping at her to cut it out.

Maybe he telepathically communicated his thoughts to her, because a moment later, she ambled up to his desk. "Hey--" she started, but Dan snapped.

"Just say what you want and be on your way."

Chloe looks confused and a little hurt. "Excuse me?"

"You've been sneaking glances at me for the past half hour, like you have something to say to me. Whatever it is, I'm not in the mood to drag it out. So get on with it."

Dan maybe feels a little bit guilty for making her look so hurt. He had been trying to be better, especially to her. But like he said, he was not in the mood. 

He hasn't had a good night's sleep in three days. He's not sure if Chloe blamed him for Lucifer's absence from the precinct, or whatever the hell else her problem was.

Chloe did not rise to his bait. "How are you, Dan?"

"I'm peachy." He answered in a deadpan. "Would that be all?"

"Will you stop that?" Chloe snapped. "I know you're a big boy and can take care of yourself, but you don't look okay. Is it so hard to believe that I'm worried about you?"

"Why?" He asked, genuinely baffled. Chloe glared at him. 

"I'm fine," He sighed. "Just a stubborn headache that won't go away."

"I know the feeling," she agreed, a pointed look at him. 

"I'll be fine," He insisted. "I just need to sleep it off, when my shift is over."

She did not bring up Lucifer, either to ask about the bond or the alpha's whereabouts and Dan didn't either. Although, he did wonder if Lucifer spoke with her before going AWOL. He wanted to say something about the bond, he wanted so badly to speak with someone but it's not like she'd understand. Being a beta, he doubts she would really understand, irrespective of how much she wanted to. 

He joined Chloe later for a case, which kept them out of the precinct for most of the day and did a good job of distracting him.

He was at Ella's lab, watching the young alpha in her element while waiting for her to attend to him, when he realized he was with who is probably the only other person he could ask about bonding without fear of being ridiculed.

"Hey," He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. "Did Chloe tell you that I marked Lucifer?"

Ella stopped what she was writing and turned to face him. "I overheard Chloe and the lieutenant talking about it, if that's what you're asking." She stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. "I didn't say anything because a partial bond is a private business, and I figured you'd say something if congratulations were in order."

"Why the fuck would congratulations be in order?" Dan asked, completely blindsided by her statement.

"Uh," Ella stared at him like he's the one saying nonsense. "Because it would mean you guys finally stopped pulling each other's pigtails and gave in to the UST?"

Dan is almost scared to ask. "UST?"

"Unresolved Sexual Tension. Duh."

"Where do you even learn these things?" Dan asked. 

"You're not that old, Dan," Ella laughed. "Stop trying to be a boomer."

"Anyway," He says, blatantly changing the topic. "There's no sexual tension between Lucifer and I, unresolved or otherwise. And you need to lay off the fanfiction."

"Oooh," She crowed. "Look who is showing their true self."

He rolled his eyes. "That's not what I'm here for."

Immediately, she became serious. "Is everything okay?"

Ella is not like any other alpha he has met. She is sweet and almost adorable. On the surface, one would mistake her for an Omega. It's why he got along with her better than any other alpha. If he was going to get together with an alpha, it would be one like Ella. One who didn't think their knot was God's gift to mankind.

But he debates telling her about it for a moment before thinking fuck it. 

"Have you ever marked or been marked by someone?" he asked. 

"Yeah, both. During my first year in college, I was in a car accident and this guy marked me. He was a total stranger and the doctors agreed he saved my life. We did end up dating after the bond wore off. Nice guy." she smiled wistfully. "The other one was my best friend in college. That was in our senior year."

He nodded. "How long did they last?" 

"The mark?" Dan nodded. "The first one, three days. The second one lasted five days."

Dan perked up. "Five?"

Ella eyed him. "You don't know anything about bonds, do you? A standard partial bond lasts three days, but there are circumstances, such as compatibility between the parties involved and/or the presence of an emotional bond that could make it last up to five days, which is the longest a partial bond can last. Kind of like your body giving you more time to seize the opportunity you've been given. Bonds like that, if the parties involved don't wish to make it permanent, they need to be careful around each other to avoid accidents."

"So, you and your friend?"

"It was a complicated situation," She waved a hand dismissively. "We both knew we were compatible, but just because biology says so doesn't mean it would work. Pheromones can only go so far."

He thinks about Lucifer's unwashed clothes he's been sleeping in since he left the penthouse, because they're the only thing that made him feel safe and relaxed anymore. But he was not a teenager. He's almost forty. He should not be feeling this way. 

Ella said the longest bond lasted five days. 

"It's been a week." He whispers, as if to keep it a secret from the walls.

Ella's eyes widen as understanding dawns on her.

"You mean--?"

"Yes."

"How do you know? Have you been seeing him?"

Dan growled in frustration. "That's the thing. I can feel him, like he's skulking about in my head. He's always there. Sometimes, I even get fragments of emotions I'm pretty sure aren't mine. I can't sleep, and I've had this headache for three days now. No amount of ibuprofen will make if go away."

"Dan, that's not normal."

"You're telling me!"

"I'd suggest the UST between you guys, but I've never heard of a partial bond lasting this long." Ella managed to sound both intrigued and worried at Dan's situation. "You say you can feel him?"

"Yeah. He was able to calm me down though the bond when I was freaking out over missing work upon waking up."

"Huh. With just a partial bond?" She asked, redundantly. "I mean, there's much we don't know about the mechanics of bonding and why they work like they do, but if anything, I'd expect you to be the one influencing his emotions as the owner of the mark. Never heard of the bearer having any control at all, let alone that much. Do you think Lucifer being the one you marked has anything to do with it?"

Dan raised a questioning brow at her. "What do you mean?"

"He's always going on and on about being the devil and a fallen angel and all of that." Ella explained. "I've always dismissed him, but everything you've just told me has caused me to question if there's any credibility to his claims."

"A moment ago you were talking about unresolved sexual tensions," Dam accused her, "Now you suddenly want to buy what he's peddling?"

"I've studied bonding, read journals and even wrote a paper on it. Even with an established emotional bond, you shouldn't be experiencing all of these issues." She urged. "Think about it. It's been established that Lucifer does not lie, but somehow we don't believe him when he says he's the devil."

"There's a whole ocean between telling the truth and not lying. He may believe he's the devil but that doesn't exactly give credence to his claim."

"Except, you share a seven day old partial bond with him, which you're receiving feedback from and showing symptoms of withdrawal from lack of contact." she counters. "Look, I'm not saying I'm right, okay? But you should give it more thought and open yourself to the possibility."

He continued thinking about Ella's advice hours later, after work, while tossing and turning in bed. He couldn't stop thinking about it if he tried.

His head feels like it's being split in two. Lucifer's usually faint presence in his mind is strong tonight. He wondered what that meant.

It would be just his luck to mark someone in an attempt to save their life and have it turn around to bite him in the ass.

Still, he can't wrap his mind around the thought of Lucifer as the devil, his name aside. He always figured Lucifer changed his name after his falling out with the father he loved to mention regularly, in an attempt to stick it to the guy. Who on earth names their kid Lucifer?

He must have dozed off, because when he opens his eyes, it's to find the current bane of his existence on his bed, hovering above him.

Or maybe he's just hallucinating. Sleep deprivation finally caught up with him.

Lucifer looks exactly like Dan feels, tired to the bone, with excess luggage worth of bags under his eyes.

"Hello, Daniel." 

"You're here," Dan sighs. He feels something loosen in his chest. "Where have you been?" 

"Investigating the attempt on my life." Lucifer says. "You look unwell."

"Everything hurts." Dan complained. "Why hasn't the bond faded?"

"Dad only knows," He felt, rather than see Lucifer scowl. He was too busy shedding his clothes before laying next to Dan on the bed. 

Dan did not give him an invitation to his bed, but Lucifer looks like he needed it badly, and he did let Dan sleep in his cloud of a bed for almost two days. Who knows how many times Dan cockblocked him? He figured he could make an exception, just this once. 

"Still not sure if he is to thank for the bond," Lucifer continued his rant. "Not that I would put it past him. Nothing he loves more than trying to control my life. But seeing as I can't arrange an interrogation session, we can only speculate until Amenadiel returns."

"Ella thinks you might be the actual devil," Dan informed him. 

Lucifer hummed, cuddling him close. "I always knew she was the smartest one at the precinct."

It's not funny, but Dan laughed. Almost hysterically. That would be the karmic debt to end all karmic debts. 

He'd have to have been a serial killer who targeted kids in his past life to be shackled with the prince of evil himself. 

Not even Dan could have been that horrible. He needed to lay off the late night thriller movies, if this is the kind of thing he hallucinates. 

Not that Lucifer isn't always a sight to behold. 

He was still laughing when he cupped Lucifer's face with his palm, his fingers playing with the hair at his nape.

Lucifer shut his eyes, leaning into the touch with a happy sigh. 

Now, _this_ is what he should be hallucinating. Lucifer would never have let Dan touch him this way. For all that the man hit on anything within a ten block radius, Dan seemed to be the exception. 

Not that he wanted Lucifer to hit on him. 

"I'm glad you're here," Dan mumbled sleepily. "Everything feels so much better with you here."

He missed the way Lucifer's eyes snapped open at his words. He had already drifted off into pleasant dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr](http://Cver.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd

Dan felt more rested than he had since the week began. His migraine was gone and his limbs felt lighter than ever. He laid back in bed, just enjoying the feeling. He had the weekend off and Chloe had Trixie this weekend, so he did not need to get out of bed anytime soon. 

It took him an embarrassingly long time to notice the sweet smelling aroma of breakfast permeating the air. Once he did, he bolts out of his bed faster than he thought he could. He got dressed quickly, before checking to confirm the presence of his firearm.

No one was supposed to be in his apartment. He did not bring anyone back with him. Trixie knew better than to touch the stove, after the incident with the melted pan. He spared an amused thought that his bugler was making themselves breakfast after stealing from him, but quickly dismissed it.

Despite the lack of threat he felt at the unknown presence in his apartment, Dan still had his gun aimed when he emerged from his bedroom.

He was both shocked and pleasantly surprised to see Lucifer at the stove, dressed only in a pair of sweatpants too short for him. The bond mark where his neck meets his shoulder is clear, contrasting against the pale skin. 

"You're up," Lucifer greets cheerfully. He looked so happy to see Dan, the sight freaked him out a bit. He is very sure that Lucifer had never been happy to see him since the first time they met. "Sleep well?" 

Dan felt like he had tripped into another dimension. Lucifer looked relaxed and at home. Even more relaxed than he had been during brunch at the penthouse. "Lucifer?" 

He got a questioning brow for his trouble. "Daniel."

"What are you doing here so early?" 

He smirked, but there was something in the expression that Dan couldn't quite name. "Was your brain really that sleep addled that you do not remember the previous night?" 

"Last night? Are you saying you spent the night here?" 

"You looked cognizant enough last night. Were you talking in your sleep?"

"I thought I was hallucinating." Oh, God. Hope he didn't do or say something he might regret. "That was all real?"

Lucifer's face shut down. "That depends, what do you remember?"

Did something happen? Dan touched his own neck, to make sure he hadn't missed being marked or permanently bonded. There was none. He did not feel like he had sex, and he doubts Lucifer would do something like that.

"Umm," Dan wracked his brain to try to recall the details of the previous night. "We talked, I think. Something about the bond and your life?"

"I see. I suppose that would be correct." Lucifer pulled out a seat at the kitchen island for him. "Hope you like omelette, there wasn't much in your cupboards."

Dan feels like he's missing something, but the promise of breakfast was too good to pass up. 

"So, what did you uncover while you were away?" Dan asked halfway through the meal, when the silence became oppressive. 

Lucifer shrugged. "I tried to ask my sister, whose specialty is plants and herbs but she responded, only to inform me that she does not answer to me. Not even informing her that her actions put the life of a mortal in danger made a difference."

Dan thought about his words, as well as Ella's theory. "Are you really the devil?"

Lucifer fixed him with a blank look. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Because you're you? Isn't the devil supposed to be the prince of evil and all of that? Don't get me wrong, you have your faults but I'd never go as far as to say that you deserve to be in the same category as literal Satan. At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm more evil than you are."

Lucifer's smile is more real this time, if a little small. "That's quite flattering, Daniel. Your faith in me warms my heart."

Dan scowled, but he couldn't stop the blush that stained his cheek. Damn Ella and her crazy fanfiction theories.

"As for my history, you need to understand that human language is limited in its translation, combined with your collective need to overcomplicate and over simplify everything, the truth of the event that led to my fall has been over edited through the millennia of human storytelling. I did have a falling out with my father, that resulted in me being cast down, but that is between him and I. It had nothing to do with humans. You all just like having someone to blame for your avarice and cruelty."

Dan can't argue with that. The devil has been a convenient scapegoat for any and all crimes humans committed. Hell, how many people used God as a shield for the awful things they did? How many times did humans hurt other humans and claim it was in service of God? Having a divine being to offload responsibilities for their awful actions on, is a major staple of being a human.

Still.

"Look man, I hear what you're saying, but I still find it hard to believe. Ella thinks you're who you say you are, because the bond is acting differently than a normal one would, but I just can't wrap my mind around it, you know?"

"I could prove it to you, if you think you could handle it."

Dan snorted. "How do you prove something like that? Do you have an ID card that identifies you as the devil?"

"That would be convenient, wouldn't it?" Lucifer laughs. "I could look into that, but I was referring to letting you see my devil face. Or my wings. It's up to you."

Dan perks up. "You mean your angel wings?"

"Mmm hmm. Though I've observed few humans can handle coming face to face with it."

Dan rolled his eyes. Now he's just being condescending. "How many humans have you shown?"

"Over the course of my existence or just recently, in the last decade?"

Something about the question piqued Dan's curiosity. He wants to ask who all knows. Does Chloe know? Seemed like something she would, considering how close they are, but he did not. He wasn't jealous. Ella's crazy theory be damned. He was simply unsure he wanted confirmation that Chloe had known all along. 

"I'd like to see both," he paused, then added. "the face first, since the implication is that the wings look better."

Lucifer shrugged and stood up. Dan copied the movement, moving around the island until he stood next to Lucifer.

For some reason, Dan had expected the transformation to be slow. It was anything but. If Dan hadn't been informed what was going to happen, he may have dismissed the sight as another hallucination, or an acid trip. One moment, Lucifer looked normal. The next, his face was different. Kind of grotesque looking, with red eyes and horns. It looked unreal. The stuff of a bad fantasy television drama. 

He wasn't sure how he should feel. Scared? Maybe if the sight ambushed him with no warning, he would be running in the other direction, or knowing him, most likely pulling out his firearm. Would a lead bullet hurt the devil, or is there a specially created divine object meant for that? 

Lucifer stood still, unmoving, as he waited for Daan to react. He looked calm, and any other day, Dan would say confident, but he could feel Lucifer's fear and nervousness, as he watched Dan. 

He had no idea why Lucifer was scared. What did he think Dan would do? Pull out the Holy water and cast him out. Would that even work? Dan wasn't sure but the emotion felt so wrong. All he wanted in that moment was to fix it. 

He reached out, cradling Lucifer's face in the palm of his hand. The temperature is warmer than usual, almost burning hurt. 

He traces the features with both his hand, relishing in the way Lucifer's eyes slip shut as he leaned into the touch.

Dan couldn't explain what happened next. Maybe it was the sight of Lucifer enjoying his touch, or maybe it was just his impulses at work.

But he pulled Lucifer's face forward, even as he reached up to brush their lips together.

Lucifer answered immediately, slotting their lips together in a gentle kiss.

The kiss was almost shy, unlike anything Dan had come to expect from alphas. It felt like Lucifer was yielding control of the kiss to Dan, even as his arms wrapped around Dan, pulling him flush against his bare chest.

It could have lasted a minute or an hour, Dan couldn't say, but he stayed in Lucifer's arms, teeth teasing each other and his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.

It was the beeping of his phone that pulled him out of his haze. He jerked back, eyes wide in shock and embarrassment as it dawned on him what he had been up to and with who.

He didn't stop to hear what Lucifer had to say, as he grabbed his phone, no even checking to see why it was beeping. Only calling out an obviously fake excuse as he fled his own apartment, leaving a confused Lucifer behind.

It took until the cab dropped him off at Ella's apartment complex for him to realize he left his wallet behind. Thankfully, Ella was home and did not mind lending him the money to pay the cab.

"This is all you fault!" He accused her, pacing her living room.

Ella looked like she wished she had remembered to grab a bowl of popcorn.

"How is it my fault?"

"You're the one who said to keep an open mind and was saying all that," he said, his arms flailing.

"Dan, I said keep an open mind that he may be the devil, not stick your tongue down his throat." She laughed and wiggled her brows. "How was it?"

"Very nice," He told her. "And you were right."

"Wait, really?"

"Ella, focus. I'm having a crisis."

God, Dan can't believe he said the words. He was almost forty. He was married and has a kid. He's not a teenager, for goodness sake. What the fuck was happening to him?

Thankfully, Ella only snorted. "Okay, tell me what really happened between you two."

Dan did. He told her everything from the night before, when he thought he'd hallucinated Lucifer.

By the time he was done, he was sprawled on Ella's couch, with a mug of coffee in his hand, while Ella occupied the love seat opposite him, with her own coffee mug.

It felt good to have someone to talk to about everything. 

"That's-- wow." Ella exclaimed. "Sounds like you and Lucifer have a lot to talk about."

"Not really?" He disagreed. "It's just the bond complicating everything. Once we figure it out, everything will go back to how it used to be."

He got a skeptical brow for his trouble. "Is that what you really want? Dan, the bond doesn't make you feel new things. Otherwise, bonding would be a very messy affair."

"No one has ever been bonded to the devil though. How would you know." Dan sighs, frustrated. "All of your talks about unresolved sexual tension just got to my head. I never should have listened to you!" he accused her. 

"Are you saying you've never thought about what it would be like to be with him?" When he opened his mouth to answer, she stopped him with a raised hand. "Don't tell me. You don't answer to me, but you should think about it and decide what you really want."

Dan does not know what he wanted. He knew he did not want to be subservient to any alpha, or another notch on Lucifer's bedpost. 

"Does it even matter?" he asked. "What about Chloe?" 

"All the more reason why you two need to talk."

He does not return to his apartment that day. Or that weekend. Ella was gracious enough to endure his company and he spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with her, trying to get the kiss out of his head. 

He was only mildly successful.

He did enjoy spending time with Ella. They've never spent so much time outside work, which is a shame if you asked Dan.

"This is cool." Dan told her on Sunday evening, after braiding her hair in an updo style. It's a pattern he learned so he could surprise Trixie. "We should get together more often?" 

"Sure, whenever you need a place to hide from Lucifer." Ella shrugged.

"You're killing me here." Dan groaned. Ella laughed. 

After two days of hiding, he returned back to his house. Lucifer is nowhere to be found. The kitchen had been cleaned and the extra food stored in the fridge. 

Dan wondered how long Lucifer waited for him to return. Guilt eats at him. He wanted to call Lucifer. But what would he say? He could apologise for the kiss, for running away. That was only part of the issue. 

His thoughts are jumbled. He wasn't sure what he should do and he's got a splitting headache. 

Dan decides to put it off, till tomorrow when he's better rested and has his shit together. 

Lucifer does not show up at the precinct on Monday. Dan half expected it but he was still surprised and more than a little bit disappointed, but he could hardly focus on the devil's absence when he felt so irritable. He hardly slept the night before and his migraine defied medication. Ella may have been up to something when she said he was going through a withdrawal

Throughout the week, he got knowing looks from Ella about the talk he kept putting off, as well as concerned looks from Chloe. For some reason, he was even more reluctant to talk to her about it.

How awkward would it be to tell her he kissed Lucifer? Was she aware the alpha was who he said he was? Would she hate him for making moves on Lucifer? He had hated it when he thought she was moving on with the alpha, and now it looked like he was even more of a hypocrite.

Not that he was moving on with Lucifer.

Dan still wasn't sure what he wanted from the alpha. What would they talk about if he called the alpha up to talk, when he could not decide what he wanted. There was also his status as the devil to consider. Still, Thanks to his constant fatigue and shortness of breath, Dan had even less time to devote to anything that did not absolutely require his attention.

"Dan!" Chloe snapped, interrupting his musings. "Did you even hear anything I just said?" she asked annoyed.

She was saying something about the case they were working on. A series of shootings that looked unrelated, until recently. He opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly, everything went blurry. His chest felt tight and he couldn't breath. 

It felt like he was having a heart attack. 

Distantly, he couldn't help but be reminded that putting off the talk with Lucifer had been a mistake. 

"I-- " He starts, but it cuts off in a choked sound. 

He saw Chloe's stricken face and someone was yelling. There was a rush of footsteps. 

He tried again. "I-- Luc, call L--"

Whatever he wanted to say was quickly lost as the ground rose up to meet him and everything went dark.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://cver.tumblr.com)


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